Provost

HSS Dean Announcement

The Office of the Provost is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Lynn has been appointed as the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Dr. Lynn will assume this role on July 15, 2026.
Dr. Lynn joins the University of Montana from Purdue University Northwest, where he has served in a variety of academic leadership roles, including Associate Dean, Interim Dean, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, department chair, and assistant dean. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a collaborative leadership style grounded in faculty engagement, student success, strategic planning, and academic excellence.

As a senior academic leader, Dr. Lynn has overseen budgets, academic programs, enrollment initiatives, faculty hiring, and student success efforts across the humanities, social sciences, education, and counseling disciplines. He brings extensive experience leading through institutional change while supporting faculty, staff, and students.

A Professor of History, Dr. Lynn is an accomplished scholar whose research focuses on eighteenth-century French history and the history of science. He has authored and edited multiple books, published extensively in leading scholarly journals, and remains actively engaged in national professional organizations. He currently serves as Treasurer of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies.

Throughout his career, Dr. Lynn has combined scholarly achievement with a deep commitment to advocating for the humanities and social sciences and their vital role in preparing students for meaningful careers, engaged citizenship, and lifelong learning.

Of his appointment, Dr. Lynn shared:

“I am honored to join the new College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I am keenly interested in advocating for the humanities and social sciences at the University of Montana, in the region, and nationally. I am especially looking forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to craft a vision and plan for CHSS moving forward, a plan that highlights our considerable strengths, maintains our centrality in the education of all students at the University, and emphasizes our continued importance in preparing all students for employment and for life.”

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Lynn to the University of Montana.

Position Advertisement and Profile

The position has been posted on Interfolio and can be found here: https://apply.interfolio.com/181697

We seek a thoughtful and collaborative academic leader with experience in administration and faculty leadership to guide the College of Humanities and Social Sciences during a significant period of identity formation. The successful candidate will develop a vision for articulating a shared mission that reflects the breadth and vitality of the humanities and social sciences at the University of Montana.

The inaugural Dean will demonstrate the ability to foster interdisciplinary inquiry while honoring the distinct traditions of individual disciplines, steward resources responsibly and transparently, and engage faculty in inclusive and consultative decision-making. An ability to build trust across diverse constituencies, collaborate effectively with University leadership, and engage alumni and community partners will be essential. Experience supporting shared governance, strengthening student recruitment and retention, and advancing the public-facing mission of the humanities and social sciences is highly desirable, as is a deep understanding of the College’s role within the broader mission of the University.

Search Committee Charge

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is central to the University of Montana’s mission, fostering critical inquiry, cultural understanding, civic engagement, and interdisciplinary scholarship. As a newly formed college, it presents a meaningful opportunity to define a shared vision and academic identity that reflects the strength and breadth of the humanities and social sciences at UM.